3 Stars - The Irresponsible Reader

DETAILS:
Series: DI Charley Mann Crime Thrillers, #3
Publisher: Canelo
Publication Date: July 8, 2021
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 267 pgs.
Read Date: August 9-10, 2022

What’s Persecution About?

DI Charley Mann is looking into a murder—one of those killings that make you despair for anyone’s humanity—and it’s a complicated case—just establishing the identity of the victim is difficult. The motive for the killing is impossible to pin down. And there’s a dearth of viable suspects.

But she and her team keep plugging away, making slow and steady progress—in a great touch of realism (as per usual for this series).

At the same time, she’s overseeing the investigation into some break-ins at a local university. Someone is breaking into the rooms of single women and staring at them while they sleep. Campus security hasn’t been paying attention to the reports until some police officers take a report seriously. The invader hasn’t crossed the line into violence, but the police know it’s only a matter of time.

There’s no evidence to support it, but Charley’s gut feeling is that these are connected. But even if she’s right, it doesn’t do her any good—she has no evidence to point to a suspect for either. There’s a break out there for her team to catch, they just have to keep working at it.

I Finally Put My Finger On It

This is the third book in the series that I’ve read, and I’ve talked about the problems I have with a lot of the dialogue. I’m not sure I’ve done the best job describing it, but I’ve tried. I think I finally put my finger on it, now.

There was something about a conversation in the first chapter that rang a bell with me, but it wasn’t for another 10-20% that it came to me: these characters—crime scene officers, PCs, detectives of all ranks—they talk like they’re in an HR training video.

If you’ve ever made it through a training video, you know what these people frequently talk like.

So, what did I think about Persecution?

This isn’t important at all, but this is a bad title. It has nothing to do with anything in the book. Really, it doesn’t matter, because most people are going to think of it as Charley Mann #3 or something like that. But, blech.

On to more substantive things—I don’t have a lot of new things to say about this book. Actually, I have nothing new to say. Like its predecessors, I really liked the story, I think the characters are interesting, and the police procedural aspects of the novel (the crime, the investigation, the twists, the original victim’s backstory, etc.) are exactly what I look for in a procedural—but the writing isn’t quite there. If Bridgestock took a little more time with the writing and editing, I’d be a huge fan.

As is, this is an entertaining enough diversion—frustrating when it misses, satisfying when it hits.

3 Stars

Composite Creatures by Caroline Hardaker: This’ll Live Rent-Free in Your Mind for A While

By HCNewton

On August 11, 2022

In Fiction, Science Fiction

Composite Creatures

by Caroline Hardaker

DETAILS:
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publication Date: April 13, 2021
Format: Paperback
Length: 267
Read Date: August 3-6, 2022

“The Back of the Book”

I’m pretty sure I’d end up ruining something if I tried to summarize this myself, so let’s use the description from the Publisher’s site:

In a society where self-preservation is as much an art as a science, Norah and Arthur are learning how to co-exist in domestic bliss. Though they hardly know each other, everything seems to be going perfectly – from the home they’re building together to the ring on Norah’s finger.

But survival in this world is a tricky thing, the air is thicker every day and illness creeps fast through the body. The earth is becoming increasingly hostile to live in.Fortunately, Easton Grove have the answer, a perfect little bundle of fur that Norah and Arthur can take home. All they have to do to live long, happy lives is keep it, or her, safe and close.

The World Building

This is a terrifying look at an entirely possible not-that-future world for us. I’m not going to get into the details, but this is an England (and we can assume the rest of the world is a lot like it) devastated by pollution, climate change, and humans messing around with genetics and other experimental medicine.

The effects of all that are seen in nature—flora and fauna—and in the health of just about everyone in the novel.

Some things never change, however, those with money—or a way to get it—have a better shot at whatever slim advantages there are to be had.

And Hardaker absolutely sells this world—the choices she made in constructing, depicting, and revealing the details of this world were perfect. I cannot say enough for the setting and the way she showed it.

So, what did I think about Composite Creatures?

Sadly, the world that Hardaker portrayed was the only part of this book that resonated with me.

I was pretty sure of two things within the first 50 pages (less than that, but I wasn’t keeping score):

This was a fantastically written book, it’s wonderfully conceived, prescient, and haunting.
This was not a book for me.

This wasn’t a case of me disliking it—it was too good for that. But I just didn’t care, I wasn’t invested—I never got more than mildly curious. If I’d been forced to return this to the library before I finished, I don’t know that I’d have bothered to check it out again. I did keep waiting for that moment—the one that changed everything and made the whole thing worthwhile—and it didn’t come.

I’m giving this 3 stars—the writing/worldview/etc. deserves at least 4, but my experience was a big ol’ “meh” and probably would’ve gotten a 2 if a lesser writer had been responsible for it. So we’ll average the two.

Now, I think I’m the exception—Hardaker’s a great writer and this combination of too-likely dystopia and environmental collapse is the kind of thing that I can see a lot of people really getting into. I’d recommend you do. When Paul recommended Composite Creatures to me, he said something like he couldn’t stop thinking about it—I don’t blame him, it’s going to be a long time before I stop thinking about it. Incidentally, you should read Paul’s post about the novel for a different and very positive take.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

PUB DAY REPOST: The Prince of Infinite Space by Giano Cromley: Stumbling Toward Adulthood

By HCNewton

On August 2, 2022

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

The Prince of Infinite Space

by Giano Cromley

DETAILS:
Series: Kirby Russo, #2
Publisher: Propertius Press
Publication Date: August 2, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 264 pg.
Read Date: Jane 18-19, 2022

What’s The Prince of Infinite Space About?

Kirby Russo, a “troubled youth” from Montana has been at the Haverford Military Institute in North Dakota just long enough to start to change his behavior and think about things in a different light—but not so long that he’s totally bought into the system. He’s still largely an outsider—and likes it that way.

He’s assuming that he’ll have a leadership position in the school newspaper—his one real passion—at the beginning of his Senior Year. When that doesn’t happen, he (unlike the reader, who can see it coming from the moment he starts talking about it) goes off the deep end. All the progress he’s made, all the evolution he’s been going through is out the window, and his demeanor, attitude, and focus shifts. He just doesn’t have anywhere to shift it to, so he spends the first few months of the year completely aimless.

The closest thing he has to a goal comes from a picture he saw in a Chicago newspaper. His long-lost love is shown (under an assumed name) in a homeless camp. He starts to fantasize about reuniting with her—but how can he get to Chicago?

Then his Original Biological Contributor shows up unannounced. He’s never met his father, and has heard little good about him over his life. But when his father introduces himself to Kirby and asks to take him to meet his dying grandmother outside of Chicago, Kirby seizes the opportunity.

He can escape the Institute, learn something about his father, and get close enough to Chicago that he can probably find a way to the city.

It ain’t much, but it’s a plan.

Time Period

It’s a little disconcerting reading something that’s probably considered Historical Fiction set during the protagonist’s Senior Year in high school when you share the same Senior Year. Outside the discussion of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the U.S. response, there’s not a lot of references to people and events of 1990. I’m fine with that—we don’t need an Ernest Cline-level of name-dropping to establish the setting.

I’m not convinced that Cromley’s 1990 matches up with reality that well. If Kirby’s world was looking at the 2003 invasion of Iraq, I probably wouldn’t have blinked. But the attitudes that Kirby encounters—in particular on the streets of Chicago—seem to fit the early 2000s more than the early 1990s.

So, what did I think about The Prince of Infinite Space?

The writing really sang (after a heavy-handed first sentence)—I chuckled a lot, and the descriptions were fantastic and real. His depcition of Chicaco alone made this worth the read. Cromley hits all the emotions and the big moments just right. The novel moved along quickly (possibly too quickly), and you get taken along with the characters effortlessly. Kirby’s a wonderfully flawed character—he’s a self-absorbed, petulant, immature twit. But he’s at the time of life where he’s supposed to be one, so that’s a win.

But unlike many of those characters, you get drawn into his character. You like him just enough, get invested in him enough that you want to see him mature, you want to see the coming-of-age in action. You don’t just want to write him off and go read about someone else.

This feels like the bones of a good novel—there’s not enough meat on it. Or, to change the metaphor, it’s like a chili that you serve too quickly, without letting the flavors develop while simmering a decent amount of time. There’s a compliment here—I liked it, I just wanted it to be better, I wanted more of everything.

This is a sequel to The Last Good Halloween, which probably tells about the delinquency (perceived or real) that sent Kirby to the Haverford Military Institute. It’s utterly unnecessary to read before this, but I’d imagine those who had read it will be a bit more satisfied after seeing what happens to Kirby.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author and Lori Hettler of The Next Best Book Club in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

3 Stars

Cyprian of Carthage: His Life and Impact by Brian J. Arnold: An Unfocused Introduction to the Father

By HCNewton

On July 31, 2022

In (Auto)Biography, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Cyprian of Carthage:
His Life & Impact

by Brian J. Arnold

DETAILS:
Series: The Early Church Fathers
Publisher: Christian Focus Publications
Publication Date: February 1, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 138
Read Date: July 24, 2022

The Series

In case you hadn’t read what I thought of the other book I’ve read in this series, let me start with the thumbnail description of the series I came up with:

I literally stumbled on to this series, The Early Church Fathers, a few weeks ago and thought it sounded like a great idea. It looked kind of like a mix of Crossway’s Theologians on the Christian Life and Oxford’s Very Short Introductions (incidentally, that’s what it ended up being).

What’s Cyprian of Carthage About?

Arnold has two aims for this short book: to introduce the third-century Father, Cyprian of Carthage, to his readers and to show that Cyprian has a use and significance for Christians today, especially as Arnold suggests that “Increasingly our world* looks more like Cyprian’s world.”

* Arnold seems to mean the Western world, perhaps, the United States, when he says “our world.”

Introducing Cyprian

Like the biography composed by Pontius, his contemporary, Arnold pretty much ignores Cyprian’s early years and starts with his conversion. It’s clear that he came from a prominent family, and seems to have held some noteworthy position in local government.

Soon after his conversion, he’s made bishop and it’s not long after that when he finds himself embroiled in controversies, some of which come out of the persecution of the Church. Arnold gives a quick overview of the nature of the controversies and Cyprian’s role and positions in each.

His Significance for Today

The latter part of the book focuses on “three areas where modern evangelicals would benefit by retrieving Cyprian: ecclesiology, virtue, and suffering and martyrdom.” Arnold sketches out each of these areas and points to how he thinks we could use the Father’s point of view.

So, what did I think about Cyprian of Carthage?

Because death and torture were always a possibility, Cyprian needed to make martyrdom appealing so that people would not drown in fear under the next wave of persecution.

The idea of making martyrdom appealing is pretty appalling to me. Sure, buttressing the faith of his people so they’d be able to stand fast during the next wave of persecution in the face of the possibility of martyrdom, is one thing. But making it appealing? Really?

Arnold also spends a lot of time discussing whether a certain period of history could be construed as a time of persecution—it’s an interesting question, and one probably worthy of debate with the scholar he’s focused on. But in a book of 138 pages, it’s not worth spending several paragraphs on the question.

I had a few other quibbles with his approach and some details of the writing. But it’s really not worth getting into.

This is a helpful volume, but it could’ve been better if Arnold had been a bit more focused on Cyprian and stayed out of extraneous areas. I do have a better appreciation for Cyprian, and I appreciate that. I just hoped for more.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Ghost of a Chance by Dan Willis: The Odds are Stacked Against this Runewright

By HCNewton

On July 26, 2022

In Urban Fantasy

Ghost of a Chance

by Dan Willis

DETAILS:
Series: Arcane Casebook, #2
Publication Date: March 13, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 318 pg.
Read Date: July 21-22, 2022

“How do you let yourself get talked into this?” he said out loud, mostly to keep his mind off his surroundings.

He knew very well what had brought him here, of course. Money.

Or rather, the lack of it.

What’s Ghost of a Chance About?

Despite the success of the events of In Plain Sight, he’s barely scraping by. The financial straits that put Alex into these less-than-savory surroundings are threatening Alex’s agency. It doesn’t seem like this is a new situation for him—but it might be worse this time than usual.

He gets the chance to make some good money when one of the more powerful sorcerers in the city hires him to find a stolen invention of his that will both enrich the sorcerer and make life better for the residents of NYC. While he’s looking for that, Alex is approached by a young woman whose husband has seemingly been kidnapped. Neither of these searches should be that difficult for him, but something is preventing his runes from working—so he has to approach these hunts using his mind, not his magic.

And because that’s not quite enough on his plate, Alex is also hired by a woman to find out who killed her husband—there’s been a series of murders that are making headlines. People are being killed by someone who leaves no trace—not only that, the victims have been found in locked rooms, with no exits.

As if that’s not enough, Alex is dealing with the damage he did to his own health (and, seemingly, his lifespan) from when he rescued the city months earlier. Basically, Alex has a ghost of a chance to make it out of these next few days intact and successful.

So, what did I think about Ghost of a Chance?

“If the details in the story are correct, the victims were all found alone in locked rooms,” Alex said. “The police had to break in each time.”

“What does that tell you?”

“Locked rooms mean suicide,” Alex said with a shrug.

“You don’t sound sure.”

“According to the story, the victims were all stabbed twice in the chest.”

The year’s a little more than half over, and I’ve read a decent number of locked room mysteries so far—I can’t help but wonder if I have more headed my way before 2022 is out. This one held its own with the others I’ve read this year, sure, this one involved the use of magic, so it’s a little easier. I did like that magic was utilized in a way that neither Iggy, Alex, or anyone who reads a newspaper in New York had apparently thought of before—so it was a little easier to pull off both the killings and the escape. So it’s a little different than what, say, M.W. Craven gave us.

I couldn’t help but notice how structurally similar this was to In Plain Sight—three cases that don’t seem to have anything to do with each other, one of which involves the police threatening Alex if he doesn’t succeed. The two novels don’t follow the same outline, but the similarities stand out. But those are thoughts that came to me after I finished—while I was reading, all I thought was that I was having a really good time. It’s when I start having those thoughts while I’m reading that I think we’re headed for trouble.

I really appreciate what Willis has done here—the world feels pretty established and lived in already. The primary characters are pretty well-fleshed out at this point (which isn’t to say we can’t learn more about them) and I’m ready to see more of the magic systems at work. There is a seemingly effortless charm to these books. I was entertained throughout and kept wondering why it’d taken me so long to return to this series—I don’t intend to repeat that.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

The Prince of Infinite Space by Giano Cromley: Stumbling Toward Adulthood

By HCNewton

On July 21, 2022

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

The Prince of Infinite Space

by Giano Cromley

DETAILS:
Series: Kirby Russo, #2
Publisher: Propertius Press
Publication Date: August 2, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 264 pg.
Read Date: Jane 18-19, 2022

What’s The Prince of Infinite Space About?

Kirby Russo, a “troubled youth” from Montana has been at the Haverford Military Institute in North Dakota just long enough to start to change his behavior and think about things in a different light—but not so long that he’s totally bought into the system. He’s still largely an outsider—and likes it that way.

He’s assuming that he’ll have a leadership position in the school newspaper—his one real passion—at the beginning of his Senior Year. When that doesn’t happen, he (unlike the reader, who can see it coming from the moment he starts talking about it) goes off the deep end. All the progress he’s made, all the evolution he’s been going through is out the window, and his demeanor, attitude, and focus shifts. He just doesn’t have anywhere to shift it to, so he spends the first few months of the year completely aimless.

The closest thing he has to a goal comes from a picture he saw in a Chicago newspaper. His long-lost love is shown (under an assumed name) in a homeless camp. He starts to fantasize about reuniting with her—but how can he get to Chicago?

Then his Original Biological Contributor shows up unannounced. He’s never met his father, and has heard little good about him over his life. But when his father introduces himself to Kirby and asks to take him to meet his dying grandmother outside of Chicago, Kirby seizes the opportunity.

He can escape the Institute, learn something about his father, and get close enough to Chicago that he can probably find a way to the city.

It ain’t much, but it’s a plan.

Time Period

It’s a little disconcerting reading something that’s probably considered Historical Fiction set during the protagonist’s Senior Year in high school when you share the same Senior Year. Outside the discussion of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the U.S. response, there’s not a lot of references to people and events of 1990. I’m fine with that—we don’t need an Ernest Cline-level of name-dropping to establish the setting.

I’m not convinced that Cromley’s 1990 matches up with reality that well. If Kirby’s world was looking at the 2003 invasion of Iraq, I probably wouldn’t have blinked. But the attitudes that Kirby encounters—in particular on the streets of Chicago—seem to fit the early 2000s more than the early 1990s.

So, what did I think about The Prince of Infinite Space?

The writing really sang (after a heavy-handed first sentence)—I chuckled a lot, and the descriptions were fantastic and real. His depcition of Chicaco alone made this worth the read. Cromley hits all the emotions and the big moments just right. The novel moved along quickly (possibly too quickly), and you get taken along with the characters effortlessly. Kirby’s a wonderfully flawed character—he’s a self-absorbed, petulant, immature twit. But he’s at the time of life where he’s supposed to be one, so that’s a win.

But unlike many of those characters, you get drawn into his character. You like him just enough, get invested in him enough that you want to see him mature, you want to see the coming-of-age in action. You don’t just want to write him off and go read about someone else.

This feels like the bones of a good novel—there’s not enough meat on it. Or, to change the metaphor, it’s like a chili that you serve too quickly, without letting the flavors develop while simmering a decent amount of time. There’s a compliment here—I liked it, I just wanted it to be better, I wanted more of everything.

This is a sequel to The Last Good Halloween, which probably tells about the delinquency (perceived or real) that sent Kirby to the Haverford Military Institute. It’s utterly unnecessary to read before this, but I’d imagine those who had read it will be a bit more satisfied after seeing what happens to Kirby.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author and Lori Hettler of The Next Best Book Club in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

3 Stars

Condemned by RC Bridgestock: This DI has Two Cases that Couldn’t Be More Different

By HCNewton

On July 15, 2022

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Condemned

by RC Bridgestock

DETAILS:
Series: DI Charley Mann Crime Thrillers, #2
Publisher: Canelo
Publication Date: Canelo
Format: April 8, 2021
Length: 266 pg.
Read Date: July 13-14, 2022

What’s Condemned About?

DI Charley Mann is called out to look at a probable arson at a house that’s set for demolition. It takes no time to determine that, yeah, it was arson—but since the house was abandoned and set to be torn down, no one cares to invest the resources to investigate further—what’s the point?

Charley was curious about the house—since before she grew up in the area, there were stories about the manor house. Many (especially area children) call it haunted. Who wouldn’t be curious?

Then the demolition company finds two bodies at different locations in what little of the building still standing just before they finish their job. And now it’s time for Charley and her detectives to get to work. One body was tucked into a hidden compartment behind a fireplace, it’d been behind there for weeks—maybe a few months—and was the victim of a gunshot. The other body was hidden in the basement and seems to have been interred in the manner of a pagan ritual—possibly killed that way, too. That body has been in the basement for several decades, maybe a century.

Two homicides in one house. Two cases that couldn’t be more different. This is going to take a lot of work, and a decent amount of luck for Charley and her team.

Grinding Slowly

In Police Procedural novel after Police Procedural novel, inevitably one character will say something to another about how forensics don’t get results as quickly as they do on TV. We all know this, anticipate this, and are ready for it. But, boy howdy, do things move slowly in West Yorkshire—they’re probably more realistic than many of the other procedurals that make the same disclaimers.

The same things go for interagency communications—when Mann gets a call from some other law enforcement agency for information, etc. it’s frequently long enough ago that I’d wondered if Bridgestock had just left that hanging, or decided to not pursue that line for whatever reason.

I absolutely believe that Bridgestock is more realistic in this than the majority of their contemporaries. How does anything get done? Sun Tzu had no idea about the pace of 21st Century bureaucracy when he wrote, “Wheels of justice gind slow but grind fine,” but the man was prophetic. I just hope he’s as accurate about that fine grinding…

Trusting the Reader

While I have been enjoying this series—there’s been something nagging me about the writing (well, a few things, but let’s just focus on one). RC Bridgestock doesn’t trust their readers. After illustrating (or sometimes before) what a character is thinking or feeling, they state it. They explain a joke—or a pretty clear statement.

One example:

‘He comes across as dodgier than a care salesman,’ Annie said, ‘and car salesmen are well dodgy!’

‘Not all of them, Annie,’ Charley chuckled.

What reader isn’t aware of the general view of car salesman as being unreliable, honesty-impaired, shifty—in short, dodgy? Who (in the conversation or reading it) needs Annie to elucidate that? Then to add Charly’s disclaimer and chuckle? It’s like the old 70s/80s shows that end with a punch line and then a freeze frame showing the entire cast laughing. Cut that section at “Annie said.” Then you move on to the next scene—it’s punchier, it displays the necessary information about the suspect and the requisite jaded cop humor (it’s good to see Annie getting experienced enough to show that, by the way), and trusts the reader to know how people are going to react. It also cuts a little of Charley’s sanctimoniousness, no one needs her to defend car salesman in that conversation.

Bridgestock does this kind of thing all over the place. It’s not needed, it’s off-putting, and it slows everything down. Especially with all the—very necessary—exposition in this book, the last thing you need is to let things drag.

So, what did I think about Condemned?

I’ve had a good time with the first two books in this series—I think I enjoyed this one a bit more than the predecessor. Charley’s a good protagonist—dogged, determined, and flawed. Just what you need. A good leader, but not a perfect one. The rest of the cast of characters are just as promising, they’re the kind you want to watch grow and develop and be fleshed out.

In this book, Bridgestock has given two of the detectives on Charley’s team interesting backstories—and added to the backstory of one other. I don’t know that they’ve done enough with them to justify the time spent—but there’s promise for the future. I hope they deliver on that promise.

The mechanics of the writing still bother me—there’s one chronological flub that I keep tripping on—but I find the cases, the storytelling, and the characters engaging and compelling enough to keep me going and I can gloss over 99% of the problems. The procedural aspects seem as sound as they can be. Two murders at the same location that are clearly unrelated? That’s a great hook, and once you dive in you have to know how they’re resolved.

I do recommend this—with a couple of qualifications—you’re going to have a good time with it, and probably (like me) be ready to come back for more.

3 Stars

AMORALMAN by Derek DelGaudio: Engaging and Compelling, but Maybe Left Me with Too Many Questions

By HCNewton

On July 15, 2022

In (Auto)Biography, Non-Fiction

AMORALMAN:
A True Story and Other Lies

by Derek DelGaudio

DETAILS:
Publisher: Knopf
Publication Date: March 1, 2021
Format: Hardcover
Length: 235 pgs.
Read Date: July 11-12, 2022

What’s AMORALMAN About?

Derek DelGaudio is a performer. writer, and illusionist. This book claims (and that subtitle should make you suspect everything) to be an account of DelGaudio’s childhood, his early interest in magic tricks and illusions—and then how he was introduced to card sharps, eventually becoming friends with some and learning how to use the card tricks he’d practiced for so long to become a cheat at cards.

At some point, he takes this theoretical knowledge into the practical—to help a good friend, despite that friend’s former insistence that DelGaudio not follow him into that life. After some time exposed to this lifestyle, he has to make a choice? What kind of man is he? What place does morality hold?

It’s tied throughout to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the role of the perceptions, reality, and the participants.

The Title

Obviously, DelGaudio is playing with things in the title. Is this book about a moral man? an amoral man? Is it a story without a moral?

How much of this is the true story and how much is a lie? It could be seen as a collection of stories—so is only one true, or is the overall narrative true, with a scattering of lies?

I’m mildly amused by that, but I really don’t think I care.

So, what did I think about AMORALMAN?

Ehhhhh. I wanted more. And not in a “this was so good, I’ve got to have more” kind of way, but in a “this was okay, but…is this all there was?” way. Ultimately, what we’re dealing with is a memoir that tells you upfront (and repeats it) that at least some of what you’re told is a lie—and probably not just from those people who are liars by vocation.

I thought the premise promised more. I expected to get something with a bit more meat on it. A bit more to chew on.

Still, DelGaudio can tell a story. You get engaged right away and you’re eager to see how this detached, disinterested, and largely aimless kid becomes the guy who stars in In & Of Itself*. We don’t get that answer, but it’s not hard to see the foundation being laid.

* And, yeah, I bought this book without knowing anything about it because of the film version.

I do think I’d read another book by DelGaudio—I’m curious about what else he has to offer. And I do think that people interested in his other work would find something compelling here. But that’s about as much as I can say—you won’t be wasting your time.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Short Tails by Spencer Quinn: Too Short, but a Lot of Fun

By HCNewton

On July 8, 2022

In Chet and Bernie, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Spencer Quinn

Short Tails:
Chet & Bernie Short Stories

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie
Publisher: Forge Books
Publication Date: June 28, 2022
Format: Kindle Edition
Length: 90 pgs.
Read Date: July 7, 2022

I grabbed him by the pant leg, which was how we closed our cases, me and Bernie.

“Aieee! Aieee!”

Oh, come on, Chuckie! Suck it up. My teeth were barely engaged at all. But the funny thing is that when that Aieee sound is in the air, they—meaning my teeth—get this sort of…urge.

“AIEEE! AIEEE!”

What’s Short Tails About?

This is a collection of short stories from the Chet & Bernie series. I don’t normally do this for short story collections, but the collection is brief enough that I can get away with it, let’s take a quick look at each.

Upper Story

I want to say that this takes place during Scents and Sensibility, but I can’t swear to it (if it didn’t, I might as well have). Bernie’s in the hospital, so Chet’s staying–and working with–their friend, Rick Torres. This story is heavy on Chet’s actions and his contrasting appraisal of working with Bernie vs. Rick. As you’d expect, the comparison does not go in Rick’s favor (no matter that he’s freer with the Slim Jims).

It’s a very short story with a great emotional punch and some good chuckle-inducing lines. I’d have honestly expected this to be last in the collection because of that–but what do I know?

The Iggy Papers

This is probably the most satisfying story in the bunch. Like with The Iggy Chronicles, this focuses on something to do with Mrs. Parson’s medical care. Bernie gets to flex his investigative muscles here a bit more than in the other stories from the book, and Chet’s major contributions come from his commentary and interaction with Iggy.

This is everything that a Chet and Bernie short story should be.

The Numbers After Two

It’s been a bit since we got to see Bernie’s head for finances on display (more accurately, total lack of one), this story gives us a tale about an interrupted vacation for the detectives and a chance to see Bernie’s gullibility on display.

I know that it’s good to see Bernie’s fallibility–Chet tends toward hagiography when he describes Bernie. We need to see him stumble outside of his romantic relationships–but I have such trouble buying that he can be as gullible as he so often is when it comes to financial schemes and yet be such a good detective. Still, this is who he’s been since Day 1 of the series, so we need to see it every now and then.

The story isn’t all about watching the train wreck of Bernie making a bad investment*, but it’s the heart of it–the rest of the story makes up for that part of it, and it ends on a good note (as it started).

* That feels like a spoiler, but if you don’t know what’s going to happen the instant that Bernie gets a wad of cash, you haven’t been paying attention.

So, what did I think about Short Tails?

These were cute stories, but there were too few of them. If this collection was 2 or 3-times as long? I’d have been as happy as a dog with a new Kong. I had fun with this, but it was just enough to satisfy me. But not much more than that.

Still, I’ll take any excuse to read a Chet & Bernie story, and I figure most of Quinn’s readers will, too. So yeah, I recommend it.

3 Stars

Growing Downward by Nick Thompson: Spiritual Growth is Not an Ascent; It is a Descent

By HCNewton

On July 3, 2022

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Growing Downward:
The Path to
Christ-Exalting Humility

by Nick Thompson

DETAILS:
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Publication Date: May 11, 2022
Format: Kind Edition
Length: 224 pgs.
Read Date: June 19-26, 2022

Here is the unvarnished truth: pride is your number one enemy at every stage of the game. This is true of you regardless of your vocation; your economic, political, or social status; and your age, ethnicity, or education… I begin here because it is only as we come to understand pride as our greatest enemy that we will learn to embrace humility as our greatest ally.

What’s Growing Downward About?

The Publisher’s Description is:

Author Nick Thompson recognizes that pride is our worst enemy. If pride is our chief foe, then humility is our chief friend, even though its company may be painful. But spiritual growth is a descent—we must grow downward. Defining humility as “the downward disposition of a Godward self-perception,” Thompson walks us through the practical implications of this definition, leading us to embrace a God-centered perspective on the self. With winsome illustration and warm pastoral instruction, Growing Downward shows us that the path of humility, though difficult, is the way to true meaning and fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

Thompson is thorough at arriving at his definition of “the downward disposition of a Godward self-perception”—looking at other definitions offered by notable authors and theologians along the way—evaluating and critiquing them.

From this point, he works out the implications of that definition by looking at Existential Humility, Ethical Humility, Evangelical Humility, Ecclesiological Humility, and Eschatological Humility.

So, what did I think about Growing Downward?

As far as the reading experience goes—this is fine. The writing is crisp, it’s clear, it’s accessible, and Thompson makes certain the reader gets his point.

As far as the content? Ehhhhh, I’m not sure. The Introduction and the first part of the book? Those were really, really strong and convincing—and Thompson had me with him there. But after that? It’s complicated to explain, but I’ll try. I liked the individual chapters, and the topics he covered in them. But they seemed disconnected from the whole. Not all of them even seemed that focused on the idea of humility or Godward self-perception. Good material, but to what end?

Instead of an argument built on several lines of reasoning, which is how the book seems to be designed. It seemed to me to be one argument made, with some essays loosely attached to the topic added on. I can see where a lot of these trains of thought can lead back to the main argument. But I look to an author for that work, to show how

The one thing I tripped on more than once was Thompson’s tone—it frequently struck me as less-than-gracious or compassionate. Generally, within a couple of pages, he’d say something to mitigate what I perceived as harshness (or something like that). But I think it’d be best to not need that mitigation.

That said, I fully expect to be in the minority on this. I think many readers will benefit from this book and not get hung up on those things I did.

I liked enough of this to recommend it to you—but just enough. If you do read it, come back and tell me where I’m wrong, okay?

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Tag: 3 Stars Page 11 of 54

What’s Persecution About?

I Finally Put My Finger On It

So, what did I think about Persecution?

“The Back of the Book”

The World Building

So, what did I think about Composite Creatures?

What’s The Prince of Infinite Space About?

Time Period

So, what did I think about The Prince of Infinite Space?

The Series

What’s Cyprian of Carthage About?

Introducing Cyprian

His Significance for Today

So, what did I think about Cyprian of Carthage?

What’s Ghost of a Chance About?

So, what did I think about Ghost of a Chance?

What’s The Prince of Infinite Space About?

Time Period

So, what did I think about The Prince of Infinite Space?

What’s Condemned About?

Grinding Slowly

Trusting the Reader

So, what did I think about Condemned?

What’s AMORALMAN About?

The Title

So, what did I think about AMORALMAN?

What’s Short Tails About?

Upper Story

The Iggy Papers

The Numbers After Two

So, what did I think about Short Tails?

What’s Growing Downward About?

So, what did I think about Growing Downward?